Laser-Driven Calorimetry of Single-Component Liquid Hydrocarbons

Area of Science:

• Chemical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Thermochemistry

Background:

• Accurate thermochemical characterization of liquid hydrocarbons is crucial for fuel development.
• Existing methods may have limitations in speed or applicability to complex mixtures.
• Novel techniques are needed to precisely measure thermal properties like heat release.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the repeatability and extend the model of the laser-driven thermal reactor (LDTR) technique.
• To determine the thermal behavior, specific heat release rate, and total specific heat release of three liquid hydrocarbons.
• To advance the application of LDTR for analyzing complex, multi-component fuels.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a novel laser-driven thermal reactor (LDTR) with a copper sphere reactor and near-infrared laser heating.
• Measured thermograms (temperature change over time) of n-decane, n-butylcyclohexane, and n-butylbenzene.
• Employed a thermal energy conservation model to analyze thermograms and estimate thermochemical characteristics, including mass change.

Main Results:

• The LDTR technique demonstrated repeatable measurements of thermal behavior and heat release for the tested hydrocarbons.
• Results were validated against differential scanning calorimetry/thermal gravimetric analysis (DSC/TGA).
• Estimated total specific heat release values were consistent with literature data under optimal conditions.

Conclusions:

• The laser-driven thermal reactor (LDTR) is a viable technique for characterizing the thermochemical properties of liquid hydrocarbons.
• The LDTR model was successfully extended, showing potential for analyzing more complex fuel compositions.
• This study validates LDTR as a valuable tool for fuel research and development.